Viva Forever: Sophie Carmen-Jones ready for Spice Girls’ musical

It’s one of the most eagerly-anticipated West End shows thanks to its association with the Spice Girls.

It’s one of the most eagerly-anticipated West End shows thanks to its association with the Spice Girls. Now as Viva Forever! premieres, Karen Price speaks to its Welsh star Sophie Carmen-Jones

AUDITIONS must be one of the most nerve-wracking experiences for any actor so you can forgive Sophie Carmen-Jones for feeling more than a little pressure when she discovered members of the Spice Girls on her panel.

But the 21-year-old clearly impressed them as she’s now understudying the leading lady in the new West End musical Viva Forever!

The hugely-anticipated production is produced by Judy Craymer – who is responsible for the stage blockbuster Mamma Mia! – penned by Jennifer Saunders and features the music of the Spice Girls.

It’s already opened for previews at London’s Piccadilly Theatre but the official red carpet launch is on Monday.

Carmen-Jones has appeared in We Will Rock You and Wicked since graduating from Arts Educational but this is the first time she’s part of an original cast.

And as the Spice Girls provided the soundtrack to her childhood as she grew up in Swansea, Viva Forever! couldn’t have been a more apt choice.

“The Spice Girls were massive when I was growing up – everyone loved them,” she smiles. “They were just so much fun and girlie – I absolutely loved their energy and their songs. Even now I still love listening to them.”

That’s just as well when you consider that for the next 12 months at least, Carmen-Jones will be absorbed in hits like Wannabe, Say You’ll Be There and Spice Up Your Life during eight performances a week.

As well as being part of the ensemble, she’s understudy for the leading character of Viva, a talented girl who along with her best friends gets swept up in the obsession of today’s TV celebrity culture.

As she follows her dream, the musical charts her journey into the world of overnight fame and its impact on her relationships with her mother and the friends she thought she’d have forever.

From London to Spain and back again, as they confront the bitter reality of fame and as the world judges her, she and her mother learn to empower themselves and be who they really want to be.

“It’s a massive privilege to be understudying Viva and a great opportunity for me,” says Carmen-Jones, whose mother Gill still lives in Swansea.

“As I’m first cover, hopefully I will get to play Viva quite a bit.”

The musical has been in the pipeline for many years and six months ago all five Spice Girls reunited in London as the plans were unveiled, although most of the column inches were given over to the fact that Posh Spice – Victoria Beckham – failed to raise a smile.

Carmen-Jones says that the chart-topping girl band has been hands-on, popping into rehearsals and even her final audition.

“When I walked into my final audition, I couldn’t believe it when some of them were on the panel,” she says.

When I ask her to name names, she tells me she is not allowed to elaborate on that, presumably so that it doesn’t appear that some Spice Girls have actually been more hands-on than others when it comes to Viva Forever!

But with Beckham and Melanie B (Scary) both living in LA and Geri Halliwell (Ginger), Emma Bunton (Baby) and Melanie C (Sporty) conducting most of the pre-publicity interviews, it doesn’t take much of a genius to work out which ones she’s referring to.

“They are lovely, so nice,” she says. “I think they are as excited as we (the cast) are about the musical. They have been really encouraging.”

While Viva Forever! is clearly a must for all those who grew up with images of pop’s famous five on their walls and messages of “girl power” ringing in their ears, Carmen-Jones believes that the musical will appeal to a wide-ranging audience.

“It’s a story that everyone can relate to,” she tells me of the themes of love and friendship. “And there’s a real mix of ages in the cast too,” she adds of the show which stars stage stalwart Sally Ann Triplett as Viva’s mother Lauren.

While the eyes of the world will be on the premiere, Carmen-Jones admits she’s not too nervous – yet.

“We’ve had quite a long rehearsal period – we’re used to four or five weeks maximum but this is our eighth week,” she says at the time of our chat.

“I’m quite lucky in that I don’t suffer too badly from nerves but I always get a few butterflies in my tummy.”

Among those who will be watching from the stalls is her mum.

“She’s my number one fan.”

While Carmen-Jones has signed a 12-month contract, she hopes to continue working in musical theatre in the foreseeable future.

So has she got her eye on any other roles?

“I would have loved to have been Velma in Chicago – I absolutely love that show, it’s a classic,” she says of the musical, which recently closed in the West End. “But I’d really love to be a lead in an original show.”

As understudy to the leading lady in this new production, it’s surely only a matter of time.

Viva Forever! is at the Piccadilly Theatre, London. The box office number is 0844 412 6666

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